On 11 November 2025, Metropolitan John of Dubna visited the Parish of St Martin the Merciful and St George the Victorious on the occasion of its patronal feast (St Martin) in its main church, the Romanesque chapel of St George in Rochecorbon, which will soon celebrate its millennium.
Concelebrating with Metropolitan John were Archimandrite Amfian (Negrut), rector of the Parish, and the priests Boris de Maack (crypt of the Cathedral) and Nicolas Petit (Poitiers), as well as Protodeacon Jean Drobot (Cathedral) and Deacon Sergei Malko (Nantes).
A group of singers from the Cathedral, as well as Protodeacon Alexandre Kedroff, also joined the Parish choir. In all, a choir of 12 people accompanied the prayer of the faithful with its powerful singing.
During the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan John ordained Subdeacon Benoît Dos to the diaconate; he will be assigned to the service of the Parish.
At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan John presented gramotas, in token of his gratitude, to Gérald Poirier, a Catholic believer and friend of the Parish, for his outstanding services to it, and to Reader Philippe Baron for taking over the direction of the choir in the absence of the regular choir director.
After the liturgical services, Metropolitan John and all the clergy and faithful – about 85 people in total – shared a fraternal agape meal in the parish hall of Vernou-sur-Brenne, graciously made available by the local Catholic parish.
Metropolitan John also had the opportunity to meet the priests of the Catholic parish: Father Jocelyn Fortin, who welcomed him at the church in the morning, and Father Nathanaël Grard, who joined him for the agape meal.
Being detained by the commemorations of 11 November 1918, the mayor of the municipality of Rochecorbon, Mr Emmanuel Dumenil, spoke by telephone with Metropolitan John and congratulated him on the feast of St Martin.
After a moment of fraternal fellowship, Metropolitan John thanked the faithful for organizing this beautiful feast and went to the Basilica of St Martin (Tours) to venerate the tomb and relics of St Martin the Merciful, Bishop of Tours and Apostle of Gaul.
